ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Ten-year-old Brandon Roth is less than half the age of Duane Macomber, but the two share at least one thing.

They took action to help others during difficult times, and are being recognized Wednesday by the St. Lucie County Fire District with Citizen Hero Awards.

Roth, a fifth-grade student, in June was riding his hoverboard to a friend’s home in Port St. Lucie to play, but the friend’s father said he wasn’t there.

Roth said he looked next door and a woman was on the ground.

“I really don’t know what happened. I went to her and I said, ‘Are you OK, are you OK?’ She didn’t answer back,” Roth said Monday. ”I was freaking out because it was my responsibility to make sure that she was OK, and she didn’t die.”

In a September incident on Indrio Road, he jumped in a canal to help a woman in a sinking car.

Duane Macomber(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY DUANE MACOMBER)

Macomber, a Fort Pierce native, said he was driving home as a woman headed west on Indrio Road. He said an eastbound sport utility vehicle suddenly turned left in front of her. The woman swerved and lost control.

He said the woman ran her Dodge Charger through a guard rail and into a canal. The vehicle started sinking. Macomber said another woman stopped and was calling 911, and he took off his shoes and jumped in the canal.

“I saw the woman was all right,” Macomber said. “She wasn’t hurt, and she was the only one in the car.”

He said she couldn’t get the door open. He got a rock from the canal bank and broke the window so the driver could get out.

“By the time the police had gotten there, the car was completely underwater,” he said. “Only the very top of the roof was above water.”

Macomber, who said he works at a Sam’s Club in Vero Beach, said the woman couldn’t swim and he helped her to shore.

He’d like to think anyone physically capable would do the same thing.

“I think it’s human nature to help each other out. We’ve all been at a point where we’ve needed help,” Macomber said. “I don’t think what I did would be unexpected or at least I hope it wouldn’t be.”